FA stance gets political backing

Capello claimed "I can't talk" about the furore when quizzed at Anfield, where he watched Liverpool's Premier League encounter with Tottenham.

The Italian also rejected an opportunity to confirm whether he would be staying in his job, even if his mere presence on Merseyside was a positive indication.

However, the speculation continues to fill the void neither Capello nor the FA have attempted to cover since those damaging comments to RAI 1 yesterday.

Talking to the Italian television station, England manager Capello criticised England's FA for demoting Terry from the captaincy before his court case into racism allegations, which the Chelsea player denies, has been held.

Terry's case will be held in July, after England plays at Euro 2012.

And Robertson came out this evening and backed the FA, no matter what the consequences.

"The FA had a difficult decision to make," Robertson told Sky Sports News.

"The chairman spoke to his board, I think weighed it all up and took, in my view, exactly the right decision.

"If the consequence of that is the manager walks away, the consequence of that is John Terry walks away, I would regret both of those two things enormously, but so be it."

Robertson said: "The FA have acted very sensibly, very reasonably, and they have come to the right decision.

"There were really two things they have to tackle at the end of last week.

"There was the moral case, which was a very difficult one because in this country you are innocent until you are proven guilty, so it would have been very tough to take action on that front.

"There was also the practical side of it which makes it extraordinarily difficult for John Terry, fabulous footballer and a great captain though he is, to discharge that responsibility in the white heat of this kind of publicity during the European Championship."

The comments should embolden FA chairman David Bernstein when he eventually gets to speak to Capello later this week.

And by then, Sir Alex Ferguson believes the whole situation should have calmed down a little as, for him, Capello is entitled to his view.

"There's nothing wrong with having an opinion," said the Manchester United manager.

"I think what will happen in the next few days is there'll have to be a coming-together of the FA hierarchy and Fabio Capello because he's the team manager, he has the importance of that position.

"Without question the most important person at a football club is the manager."

Not that the view is shared by everyone, including former England boss Graham Taylor, who told BBC Radio Five Live: "It doesn't help the situation at all, as England go into the European Championships.

"I can't see what Capello's agenda is. All it does is disturb everything even more.

"It may be that he wants the FA to take a decision on this job. It depends really on how strongly he feels about it."

Taylor pointed out that whoever is now chosen as England captain by Capello will know full well that the Italian would prefer to have Terry, who refutes the allegation he racially abused QPR's Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League game, in charge.

Taylor added: "Fabio Capello, having been told by the FA in a private situation what they were going to do, has been a little bit unwise to come out as publicly as this.

"Whoever he makes as captain knows that he is not the manager's choice. That in itself doesn't help the dressing room."

Asked yesterday whether he was in agreement with the decision regarding Terry, Capello replied: "No, absolutely not.

"I have spoken to the chairman and I have said that in my opinion one cannot be punished until it's official and the court - a non-sporting court, a civil court - has made a decision to decide if John Terry has done what he has been accused of.

"I thought it was right that Terry should keep the captain's armband."

Capello travelled north today to watch two of the most talked-about candidates for the England captaincy, in Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker.

However, there may be a few hurdles to cross yet, with former FA executive director David Davies, who left his post in 2006 before Capello was appointed, telling BBC's Breakfast programme that the Italian may have breached his contract with his comments and could face action.

"It is being taken very seriously by the FA because it may be that Fabio Capello has breached his contract," said Davies.

"You have to ask what his motive is. You have to suspect he wants to prevent John Terry retiring as a player before Euro 2012 but there are wider issues.

"A contract may have been breached, there is strong leadership now at the FA from David Bernstein. Last week he wasn't slow to take things forward and he may not be slow to do so now."

Meanwhile, the FA is working on a code of conduct covering all selection criteria for England players that should be up and running for next season which will cover anyone charged with a criminal offence.